Battery Charger

[Jasmid53]

I need to get a battery charger and don't know anything about them. Can anybody tell me what they have been using and what I should get. I did order a book on marine electric but I haven't received it yet. Almost time to launch my boat so I want to get the batteries charged.

[slode]

If you will be mounting it onboard get a good quality marine grade charger that will handle the environment, The ProMariner Prosport series is decent.  If charger will always be used outboard with boat out of the water you have many more options.  If you have multiple batteries, especially if they aren't on the same bank, a multi bank charger will be well worth it.

This is a good article about marine battery charging and covers the details on what you will want for phases and features.

https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Selecting-a-Battery-Charger

[rogerschwake]

  Here's what I did to keep my battery charged. My Sun Cat sets outside all summer and not close to a outlet. Bought a solar panel made by Colemen from my local Menard's store. The panel is 12.2"X36.3" and puts out 18 Watt 1.2 Amps with a 7 Amp charge controller for $79.97. Have a depth finder, GPS and autopilot that are connected to the battery. Try to sail about once a week and do a few 2 or 3 night out sails and have never run out of power. This is what has worked the last couple years for me.

ROGER

[Jasmid53]

Where did you mount the solar panel?

[rogerschwake]

  On my Sun Cat there is a small deck just aft of the cockpit. I put a eye bolt on each end of the solar panel and lash each end to the upright post of the boom gallows. The power cord is plugged into a receptical in the cockpit. When I'm out sailing the solar panel is removed but it could be left in place. This works great since my boat is stored outside and would work for a boat in a slip also.

ROGER

[moonlight]

I don't want to sound overly critical, but there's a huge fly in the ointment of the logic ... "almost time to launch the boat so I want to get the batteries charged"...

Batteries, stored in a discharged state, suffer irreversible damage.  You may get them working again this year, but while you think it's a battery it may have only half it's capacity.  or less.

All lead variants, AGM, gel cell, wet cell, suffer sulfation on the plates below 12.5V.  12.8V is fully charged.  Extended time below 12.5V lets the sulfate build up like a big crust that just doesn't come off.  Wet cells can be "equalized", basically, boiled back into shape, by extended periods above 14.8 or even 15.0V; but you've got to know what you're doing and monitor it carefully.

In the future, store batteries charged; charge them every 30 days, and size the charger output at 10% of the battery capacity (i.e. a 100Ah battery gets a 10A charger; a 72Ah battery gets a 7A charger, et cetera)

[brackish]

Batteries, stored in a discharged state, suffer irreversible damage.  You may get them working again this year, but while you think it's a battery it may have only half it's capacity.  or less.

Moonlight is spot on with this.  Believe it or not, some of the car manufacturers, pressured by CAFE targets have started using alternator output logic that takes advantage of regenerative opportunities. Problem is it doesn't work with all driving habits and conditions.  It cycles batteries that were not meant to be cycled and leaves them partially charged.  Learned this when my brand new Subaru battery failed at 22 months.  Subaru has since issued a TSB to revise the alternator ouput logic but the dealer refused to warrant the battery.  Going directly to Subaru America got me a $500 service credit to atone for their sins. 

Deep cycles and dual purpose are better at taking this kind of abuse but will still have a shorter life if subjected to it. I have a Guest 5/5 that stays on when I'm on shore power which is most of the time.  Batteries stay topped off all the time.

[Andre]

Hi brackish, I know it's off-topic but ...

Just wondering what kind of Subaru you're talking about.  I have a 2014 Outback 4 cylinder.  Still going on 4 year old conventional battery.  What kind of regenerative features does yours have?  California car?

Andre

[brackish]

Hi brackish, I know it's off-topic but ...

Just wondering what kind of Subaru you're talking about.  I have a 2014 Outback 4 cylinder.  Still going on 4 year old conventional battery.  What kind of regenerative features does yours have?  California car?

Andre
[/quo

I have a 2016 four cylinder Outback. It is not a California car.   From reading the forum reports it started with the 2015 model year.  I'm traveling now, but when I get home I'll get the TSB number and send it to you so you can determine if your model year is affected.